1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for packaging coils of tubing and, in particular, a system and method for packaging coils of thin-walled medical grade plastic tubing.
2. The Background History of the Prior Art
Medical grade equipment often requires special packaging to insure that the device arrives at its destination sterile and free from damage to the delicate components packaged therein. One specific problem arises in the shipping and handling of packages containing medical coils of thin-walled plastic tubing. One device in particular, the angioplasty manifold kit, contains a plurality of relatively long thin-walled plastic tubes each attached to a specific manifold outlet.
Rough handling normally incident to the worldwide shipping of packages containing manifold kits often results in damage to the delicate components contained therein. Specifically, packaged manifold kits are particularly susceptible to damage during shipment because the delicate tubing easily kinks at the point where the tubing is securely affixed to the individual manifold outlets. A sharp motion to the entire packaged kit during the shipping and handling process typically causes the tubing to bend or kink at that junction. Such a kink in one or more of the manifold tubes will impede the flow of a fluid substance therethrough. As a result of rough treatment during shipping and handling, damage by kinking or bending of any of the relatively long thin-walled lengths of coiled tubing contained in the packaged manifold kit will result in the entire manifold kit being rejected, since the entire kit comes as a sterilized unit.
Furthermore, the coils of the manifold kit must be packaged in such a manner that the coils can be easily removed from the sterile shipping package so that the angioplasty manifold kit can be quickly put into use for the patient's benefit during the medical procedure. Normal use would require that the coils be removed from the package then unwound and extended for connection to other components. If the coils are tangled, this increases the time and complexity of setting up the kit, and it is annoying to have to untangle plastic tubing that has become tangled or intertwined.